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Employers shouldn't wait around to see if Congress makes it easier to form unions under the proposed Employee Free Choice Act but should take steps now to keep employees happy, Christian Schappel writes. One way to do that is by providing employees with information on their total compensation package, he writes.

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While companies acknowledge workforce planning is important, 53% describe their efforts as only "moderately effective," a study by the Institute for Corporate Productivity reports. Experts say successful planning should include several functions, including human resources, finance and leadership.

The most important reason human resource professionals should get their PHR/SPHR certification is because it can help them get a leg up over the competition when job hunting, Rich DeMatteo writes. Many positions now make it a requirement and "job seekers need to gain an advantage wherever they can, and a certification may just be the trick," he writes.

There is "absolutely no reason" to have an in-house compensation professional, Tim Sackett writes. You can hire an outside consultant if "you really have a desperate need to overpay for information you can get on your own," he writes.

It can be tough to predict who will be a great leader, but companies can do better at leadership development if they recognize talent earlier and provide mentors to help potential leaders throughout their careers, Dan McCarthy writes. Still, "when it comes to leadership development, even the best companies don't get it right all of the time," he writes.

Southwest Airlines hit the top of the list for the 50 best U.S. places to work based on employee opinions in a Glassdoor.com survey. General Mills was voted second. "Employees referred to their ability to grow in their jobs," said Glassdoor.com founder Robert Hohman. Employees named the worst place to work as Gibson Guitar.